Shankman — who directed and choreographed the big-screen musical "Hairspray" — has signed on to direct Sandler in the forthcoming Walt Disney Pictures film "Bedtime Stories."

Matt Lopez wrote the screenplay for "Bedtime Stories," which casts Sandler as a busy architect whose life turns upside-down when the nighttime tales he tells his niece and nephew begin to come to life.

Filming is slated to begin in January 2008, according to The Hollywood Reporter with a release date scheduled for Dec. 25, 2008.

Shankman also mentioned that he is on board to helm "Step Up 2" — the sequel to the film on which he served as producer. The director-choreographer has previously worked on "Cheaper by the Dozen 2," "The Pacifier," "Bringing Down the House," "Catch Me If You Can" (as dance consultant), "The Wedding Planner" and more.

He appears in a cameo with Hairspray creators Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman in the "Hairspray" film. That film casts John Travolta as Edna Turnblad opposite Christopher Walken as Wilbur Turnblad with Queen Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle, Amanda Bynes as Penny Pingleton, Zac Efron as Link Larkin, Brittany Snow as Amber von Tussel, Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma von Tussel, James Marsden as Corny Collins, Elijah Kelly as Seaweed, Allison Janney as Prudy Pingleton and Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad. The film is based on the still-running musical Hairspray, which itself was based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name. The movie musical was adapted by Leslie Dixon from the Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan book and features the score by Shaiman and Wittman with additional songs created for the film. The film hit theatres nationwide July 20.

Visit the official movie website at hairspraymovie.com.